S1E7_PART C: Character Design & Structuring | 3/3 — "The Rounded Character Gourmet: Development, Realism & Relatability"_UNFILTERED

SHOW NOTE

 

What is the most complicated dish you think there is to prepare? Well, that's nothing compared to cooking up a character people actually care about but there's always a hack for everything and we explore these "shortcuts" of character development in fiction. 

 

 

Spoilers Warning! 

This episode contains major spoilers for BoJack Horseman. If you haven't watched the series yet, consider this your invitation to binge it first—then come back and join the conversation.

 

 

 

RECAP

A quick refresher on BoJack Horseman's incredible character journey: 30 transformations across five major and minor arcs earned him a perfect score of 5 on the rounded character scale. He's the quintessential dynamic character—constantly changing while staying tragically true to his broken, flawed core. Even in his final state, that childlike innocence remains: regretful, but still wanting to do better, still chasing happiness.

 

 

 

INTRO

Welcome to the finale of the character design saga! This episode peels back the final layer—the eclectic secrets and hidden threads of realism that make BoJack leap off the screen and into our actual lives. Today's special gourmet menu: character development, realism, and relatability. Betty and Rita promise the usual banter mixed with masterclass lessons as they bring this character design flight to a conclusive landing.

 

 

 

PART A - Character Development: The Key Process to Creating Rounded Characters

The Nigerian Stew Analogy

Betty and Rita kick things off with a hilarious debate about cooking Nigerian stew—Rita's simple process versus Betty's elaborate method of overcooking ingredients. This becomes the perfect metaphor: character development isn't just another ingredient—it's the entire cooking process itself.

When Flat Characters Work

Not every character need development. Shows like John Wick, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Phineas and Ferb thrive with flat characters because they're plot-focused or rely on visuals and action. Betty admits to relating more to Squidward as an adult because SpongeBob is just "overwhelming and annoying."

The Literary Definition

Character development is the process of giving a character depth, personality, and motivation so they feel like a real, evolving individual. It involves crafting traits, backstories, desires, fears, and showing how these elements change through a character arc to create an emotional connection with the audience.

 

 

 

PART B - The Character Development of BoJack Horseman

Four Key Development Strategies:

1. Depth and Nuance Through Complexity BoJack is a literal living paradox—a hybrid of two species, morally complicated (not good, but not evil), and struggling with internal conflicts. The show adds layers through his contradictions.
2. Motivations: Wants vs. Needs

• What BoJack Wants: Fame, public acceptance, unconditional love
• What BoJack Needs: Self-acceptance, recognizing his responsibility to himself and others, overcoming childhood trauma through consistent healing efforts

3. Evolution Through Character Arcs From vulnerable foal born to abusive parents to a defensive, unyielding, cowardly adult stallion. The show traces how he develops vices to protect a fragile self that never had a chance to grow properly.
4. Creating Emotional Connection Through backstories, the iconic "Free Churro" monologue episode, meaningful dialogue (now legendary quotes), and external challenges, BoJack becomes a poster boy for human trauma that audiences can't help but relate to.

 

 

 

PART C - Character Realism

Realism as Byproduct, Not Ingredient

A critical distinction: realism and relatability are results of well-developed rounded characters, not required ingredients. You can have a rounded character that isn't realistic or relatable—they're still rounded.

What Makes a Character Feel Real:

1. Complexity, Depth, and Transformation The minute a character has these three elements, they're no longer flat. This is why Betty argues you can't have a flat character that's realistic.
2. Consistency Characters need behavioural patterns consistent with their traits. Betty uses Courage the Cowardly Dog as an example—despite being the bravest character in the show, his first reaction is always fear. BoJack's reactions become so predictable that other characters notice when he tries to act out of character ("Brand New Couch" episode).
3. Meaningful and Justifiable Character Arcs People change gradually with clues leading up to main events. Betty hilariously roasts Hunter x Hunter for Gon's inexplicable transformation: "My intelligence was assaulted!" Meanwhile, BoJack excels at this—even Gina's tragic transformation from chill actress to anxious and inflexible feels completely earned after BoJack nearly strangled her.
4. Authentic Backstory The backstory must connect to childhood, family life, core beliefs, and personal values. Betty compares Ice Bear's consistent origin story (We Bare Bears) to the disastrous writing of Naruto and Hinata's romance, which required a magical genjutsu liquid to make Naruto suddenly remember interactions that were never shown. Rita's response: "Maybe I need that liquid for the guy I'm eyeing!"

The discussion gets heated about representation—from black samurai Yasuke to Vikings—but concludes that authenticity matters more than literal historical accuracy. BoJack's backstories feel authentic to each character, especially the beautifully written Princess Carolyn and Judah coupling.

 

 

 

PART D - Character Relatability

The Subjective Nature of Relatability

Rita relates most to Princess Carolyn's ambition and boundary-setting, while Betty sees herself in Diane's judgmental honesty and tendency to push others while suffering herself. Rita reveals a shocking moment watching Thai series "Blank" where she saw herself completely reflected in the main character—same body type, aesthetic, decisions—except for the controversial relationship with a minor ("I would take you back to your parents!").

The Definition

Character relatability allows audiences to understand and connect with a character on a fundamental level by recognizing universal human emotions, flaws, and struggles—even when specific circumstances differ from their own experience.

Key Aspects:

• Universal Human Emotions: Joy, fear, shame, longing, frustration
• Shared Experiences and Struggles: Writer's block, creative frustration, bureaucratic nightmares
• Flaws and Imperfections: Even "perfect" Mr. Peanutbutter isn't what he seems
• Internal Conflict and Vulnerability: BoJack acts on intrusive thoughts we all have but suppress

 

 

 

PART E - Character Relatability in BoJack Horseman

Moments That Hit Different:

The Grocery Store Cookies Incident BoJack versus Navy Seal Neal McBeal—who calls "dibs" on unattended cookies in a public supermarket? This petty conflict becomes universally relatable: dealing with people who feel entitled to things for stupid reasons.

The DMV-Style Administrator BoJack's frustration with bureaucratic systems and rude administrators secretly playing solitaire while pretending to be busy. Betty and Rita immediately relate this to Nigerian bank and local government experiences.

The Navy Hero Controversy BoJack's politically charged statement: "Not everyone in the Navy is a hero just because you're legally allowed to hold guns." The show brilliantly captures how saying what everyone thinks (but won't say) gets you in trouble. One character literally tells him: "How dare you say what we're all thinking but don't have the courage to say!"

The Authenticity Factor

Despite all his transformations, BoJack remains fundamentally himself—a horseman who can't escape his history or biology. The show respects the permanence of trauma and experience. As Betty notes: "Even if you deny aspects of yourself, it's not going away. It happened."

The penultimate episode "The View from Halfway Down" forces BoJack to accept what is rather than what could have been. In the final episode, the conversation between BoJack and Diane on the rooftop delivers the show's thesis:

BoJack: "Life's a bitch, and then you die, right?"
Diane: "Well, sometimes life's a bitch, and then you just keep living."

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

Creating relatable characters requires:

• Focusing on humanity
• Showing emotional depth
• Emphasizing growth
• Giving characters goals and life challenges
• Leaving room for audience interpretation

A great story isn't about tying up loose ends with a "happily ever after." It's about accepting that life continues. Princess Carolyn's wedding-day fear resonates: "If today is the best day of my life, does that mean no other day will measure up?"

The episode is rounded up with this quote from the host, Betty:

 

"A great story is one that is always in progress, forever in a state of development, and to be continued, until the character is no more."

 

 

 

OUTRO

Thanks for making it this far! Connect with Pages Podcast on all socials @Pagespodcast_hq and stream free on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, and Apple Podcasts.

 

What's Next? The Character Categorization Saga awaits—exploring character hierarchies, roles, and archetypes. It's about to get even more insightful and funnier.

 

 

Subscribe & Follow

Available on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Podcasts.

For more quality full unfiltered experience, explore our website, leave a comment, and let us know what you think.

Keep creating, and see you on the next page. Bye!